


Last Time

by NotATorontonian (TheLifeAndLiesOfFerns)



Category: Life with Derek
Genre: Angst, F/M, Lost Love, Moving On, Regret, Taboo, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:09:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23622919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLifeAndLiesOfFerns/pseuds/NotATorontonian
Summary: Casey and Derek meet on the evening before his wedding.
Relationships: Casey McDonald/Derek Venturi
Kudos: 9





	Last Time

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Français available: [La Dernière Fois](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26545597) by [NotATorontonian (TheLifeAndLiesOfFerns)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLifeAndLiesOfFerns/pseuds/NotATorontonian)



When Casey was a little kid, she heard, once, from her mother after her divorce, that some people might love each other immensely, might even fight to be together, but ultimately they ended up having to be apart.

She did not understand it then, and honestly, she did not catch up on that much later, but the weight of those words would not truly hit her until now, sitting on this bench in a nearly empty park.

The smell of wet grass filled her nostrils, the very smell that reminded her of the sole propose of coming here, meeting the one she loved yet could never be with.

Casey stared out on to the distance, the sun was almost setting, cladding the world around her in cold darkness. She waited for him as crickets began singing the song of the night, marking the end of whatever hope she held of spending the rest of her life with him.

She always knew they would come down to that one day. She always knew this dreadful day was coming, the day when they both had to admit that this was never meant to be. Them were never meant to be.

The sound of gentle footsteps pulled her away from her thoughts, and the man coming your way was none other than the great and legendary Derek Venturi.

She smiled sweetly at him, a smile he wanted to return badly but could not, he could not bring himself to smile.

He sat by her side not saying anything for a while. He was not sure if he should break the silence. He was not sure what he would have to say, either way.

Tomorrow was his wedding; she was holding the invitation to the one wedding she never wanted to attend.

“I guess we have been postponing this for what seems like forever now.” It was her who spoke first, looking at him.

He chuckled at that looking at his hands. “I guess.”

She smiled sadly as tears fell down your cheeks looking with great remorse at the wedding ring that adorned her finger.

“I wish things were different, I really do. I wish things didn’t have to go the way they did, I wish I had the courage to say yes when you asked me to run away with you.”

Derek sighed looking at the same object that separated the two of them.

She was too scared of their family, what they would think, of what they would say, of how that would interfere with his relationship with his siblings. She was afraid of what the people would say, how it would hurt his reputation with the public, hurt what he worked so hard to achieve.

So, she left him, went out and married the first schmuck that would have her, just so she could not come back from her decision.

She looked at him he was still looking at the ring on her finger. “I’m glad you’re moving on. She seems like a lovely lady.” She paused for a moment, to swallow the bile threatening to reach her mouth. “Who knows? Maybe we could’ve been friends.”

He nodded. “She really is a wonderful woman.”

He could see the deep pain and regret reflect in the depth of her eyes, the one place she could not mask her emotions.

He noted how much she changed, how her movements were all so measured, your words spoken with caution, out of habit, she wore a mask devoid of any emotion making her look more like a statue. Masks they used to shed away when they were together.

Derek sighed when you gave him the wedding invitation, mirroring an act he did many years ago when he received yours, the one you never sent, but was sent by their family, in an unintentional act to mock him.

He did not know if this was going to be the last time he will ever see her. He wanted to tell her many things but he knew they would be deemed cruel and sick by too many people.

Perhaps that meant they were better left unsaid. He was getting married to someone he loves as much as he once loved her, he was starting a new life without her.

With no further words between them, she stood up and left.

Casey walked to the house she lived masking your emotions again, acting like nothing was wrong all on the while her world was shattering.

No one knew how much she suffered. She liked to think she did it in perfect, imperceptible silence.

Though Derek was able to move on and find someone for him to love, she was not so lucky, but it was alright. She did want him to be happy, at least one of them should. It might have been pretentious of her to worry about it. She always knew Derek would fall on his feet; he always did.

As for herself… She deserved what she got. Better luck next time, Casey.


End file.
